Timber housing creates more jobs and provides innovative new housing solutions in Wales

Shayne Hembrow, Chair of Woodknowledge Wales and Deputy Chief Executive for WWH, says: “The Welsh Government has shown its commitment to providing more affordable homes by providing the funding for it. Timber systems have a huge role to play in meeting this challenge, as demonstrated in our Rhos on Sea development.”  

Timber housing is playing a key role in delivering high quality, affordable, environmentally sustainable homes which can be delivered quickly, in line with Welsh Government plans.

In February this year Carl Sargeant, Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children, unveiled funding plans to invest £20m in innovative new home building over the next two years. 

Powys County Council (Powys CC) is committed to creating local jobs and improving homes and they are doing this by supporting the timber supply chain. Through the Home Grown Homes Partnership, Powys CC have developed and adopted the first Wood Encouragement Policy to be introduced in the UK.

Simon Inkson, Head of Housing Services at Powys CC says: “Powys CC is determined to develop innovative solutions to address the lack of employment in our communities by creating jobs in the growth, harvesting, processing and manufacture of homes from natural timber resources grown in rural Wales.”

Leading housing association Wales & West Housing (WWH) have embraced the benefits of building homes from timber with the recent completion of 11 apartments in Rhos-on-Sea, Conwy. The scheme houses 26 people using home grown timber from a local timber frame contractor, Williams Homes (Bala) Ltd.  The development is estimated to have used 112 home grown trees, and directly supported 32 jobs in forestry and construction. This method of construction, and others like it, will be used to demonstrate how timber-based housing solutions can deliver high quality, affordable, adaptable and sustainable homes for the future.

Shayne Hembrow, Chair of Woodknowledge Wales and Deputy Chief Executive for WWH, says: “The Welsh Government has shown its commitment to providing more affordable homes by providing the funding for it. Timber systems have a huge role to play in meeting this challenge, as demonstrated in our Rhos on Sea development.”  

Woodbuild Wales 2017 Conference and Expo is responding to the need to deliver more and better innovative housing solutions. On 15 June many of the major Welsh housing associations, county councils, architects, designers, planners, saw millers, house builders, timber specialists and suppliers, will meet in Llandrindod Wells to exchange the latest in knowledge and information in timber-based housing solutions and to help take the Welsh house building sector forward into an innovative and sustainable future.

Photo: Wales & West Housing Association - Rhos on Sea development completed 2017



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